The Sorting of Albus Potter
by CharmHazel
Summary: Just what happened when Albus was sorted? And what was his family's reaction?


**A/N: Hello everyone! New story for you all which fits into the canon of Cursed Child.**

 **Big thank you to Arnel for her amazing editing on this.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

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 _"If it matters to you, you, the Sorting Hat will take your feelings into account" – Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Special Rehearsal Edition Script, 2016._

Albus approached the Sorting Hat with apprehension, his nerves beginning to get the better of him as he worried about where he would be sorted. He remembered the words his father had spoken just that morning about how his feelings were just as important when it came to where he was sorted. He didn't really know where he wanted to be sorted, Slytherin as his brother teased he would be or Gryffindor as his parents had been. He wasn't certain that he could make a choice between the two if it came down to it.

He ignored the stares and the whispers as the Sorting Hat was placed on his head and for a second, just a second, nothing appeared to happen.

"No need to be nervous, Mr Potter," a voice suddenly said inside his ear. He knew it was the voice of the Sorting Hat and that no one could hear what was being said to him. His father had promised him that. "So I have another Potter to sort and yet you appear to be nothing like your brother, so I cannot place you in a house as quickly as I did him. Though it does seem you may be more like your father and your mother than you actually realise."

Albus stiffened at the suggestion. He had always thought and had always been told that he was much different to his parents. Not that anyone thought that it was a bad thing and he didn't want it to be. He wanted to be different from his parents, he wanted to be his own person and not live within his parents' shadows, particularly his father's.

"Very interesting to know, Mr Potter," the voice spoke once again. "Perhaps you are more different to your father than I first thought, but then again, no two people are the same. Though you should know, just like your father before you, I can see an incredible thirst to prove yourself, a strong desire to show people that you are, in fact, your own person. Especially when you have been named for two Headmasters of this very school, which in itself has place a great weight on your shoulders to live up to those names."

Albus knew this all to be true, especially the part about who he was named for. As his father had told him, he was named for them because they were two very brave men. He knew in his heart that he was desperate to wear those names with absolute pride.

"Well, of course you want to and you should, but people shall expect big things from you due to your given names," the voice came once more. "Now, Mr Potter, it is time to see where you shall be sorted."

The voice disappeared for a moment before it spoke once again.

"Ah, there is determination and resourcefulness there…oh, and I see you have a fierce sense of loyalty instilled in you and you have such a curious mind…there's plenty of courage…but where to put you, Mr Potter?"

Albus knew that this was the moment in which he could voice his own opinion about where he wanted to be sorted, about the house in which he would spend the next seven years of his life in. Did he want to be in Gryffindor like the family was, letting him be with his brother and cousins? Or was he willing enough to put his trust in the hat to put him where he would be best placed? If he was in Gryffindor, wouldn't people have expectations of him to be like his father and therefore accomplish great things? But then again, how could he prove himself to be his own person if he was placed in the house of the Lions? But would he risk becoming an outcast if he was to be sorted into a different house, especially if that house was Slytherin?

Albus realised that he had been under the hat for longer than the norm and knew then that if he could not make the decision over where he wanted to be placed like his father had done, then he needed to trust the hat to place him where he fitted best.

"A very wise decision, Mr Potter," the voice spoke one last time as Albus relinquished the decision to the hat. "Your thirst and desire to prove you are your own person makes this decision much simpler than I had expected. I know I am not wrong when I say you should be in…SLYTHERIN!"

 **HP &GW**

 _Hi, Mum, Dad,_

 _I know this is probably shock that I am writing to you so quickly after arriving at school, but I thought I should warn you about what has happened before Al writes to you._

 _The thing is Albus was sorted into Slytherin._

 _I know I teased him this morning about the possibility of him being sorted there, but I am worried that maybe I pushed him towards it. I am not upset about him being a Slytherin and I swear I didn't seek him out after the feast to tease him either. In all honesty, I am proud of my baby brother for letting the Sorting Hat decide what house he should be in. I know he didn't ask for a specific house, just like you said he could Dad, because if he had, he would have been sorted into Gryffindor instead._

 _Anyway, this is not the real reason I wrote to you. I am actually worried about Al now. The reaction to his sorting was not good at all. I think everyone, bar the family, is shocked that a Potter could be in Slytherin. There were so many people who were trying to compare him to you, Dad, but we all know that while he looks just like Dad, they both act quite differently to each other._

 _I will try and keep an eye on him, but you know what he is like. I think he may actually isolate himself from those around him and the family. On top of that, he is at risk for being picked on and bullied. In all honesty, I think he may not write to you out of fear for how you will respond to the news, so I thought I should write and warn you just in case._

 _Love from your favourite son,_

 _James_

 **HP &GW**

"Are you upset?"

Harry looked over at his wife surprised she had even asked him.

"No," he simply replied. "But we both knew it was a real possibility he would end up being sorted there."

"Do you think he followed your advice about the fact he could choose?" Ginny asked slightly sceptical of what James had suggested.

"No, I don't think he did. I mean, he was worried about being sorted into Slytherin, not Gryffindor. If he had not wanted to be there, he would have asked not to be like we both did when we were sorted."

Ginny could not deny the logic behind Harry's thinking. "I am worried though about what else James wrote in his letter, Harry. Al won't cope if he starts being bullied and if he closes himself off…"

She left her sentence hanging knowing her husband would understand her fears for their youngest son.

"I'll contact Minerva tomorrow," Harry responded in hopes of soothing his wife's fears. "I'll ask her to keep us informed about his progress in school and how he is settling in."

Ginny leaned across and kissed him. "Thank you."

 **HP &GW **

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

 _I arrived safely at school. The train ride was very long, but I did make a friend on the journey. It was not someone I had expected to make friends with, but I am glad that I did. He is very funny and we have been sorted into the same house._

 _I was sorted into Slytherin. I chose not to follow the advice you gave me, Dad. It was a big decision to make, so I decided to trust that the hat would sort me into the house in which I belong and can do my best._

 _I hope I have not disappointed you._

 _Love, Al_

 **HP &GW**

"How could he even think we would be disappointed in him?" Harry asked when he put his youngest son's letter down. "I was clear with him that he had been named for someone who was a Slytherin, so why would I be disappointed?"

Ginny gazed at her husband with concern. She could not deny that he was a great husband and father, but there were still times in which he would struggle. Unfortunately, she could tell that this could potentially be one of those times and that was dependent on how Al handled the situation of the reaction of the school to him being sorted into Slytherin.

"You know full well he knows we could never be disappointed about where he was sorted," Ginny finally responded. "But whatever the other students have been saying has probably made him worry about our reaction. We can only hope he handles it well and not pull away and isolate himself like James fears he will."

"But what if he does?" Harry whispered nervously.

Ginny took his hand in hers and grasped it tightly. "Then we will deal with it the best that we can. Minerva told you she would keep us informed of any problems. The most important thing is that he has made a friend who is in the same house as him, so he will not be alone."

Harry smiled at his wife, feeling lucky to have her in his life.

"Thank you," Harry said as he leaned over and gently kissed her. "I guess we best tell the family about Al's sorting. I am certain George is probably desperate to know who won the bet on where the kids were sorted."


End file.
